Partake in them or pass on them, leather shorts are back for a trendy minute….
Nina Petronzio's Blog
Interior design, furniture, fashion
Little Black Dress
One of our interns recently asked me for advice on where to best spend a limited wardrobe budget. I couldn't help but smile because I was about to give her the same answer a Diva once gave me...and the same answer that fashionistas have been passing down to one another since Coco Chanel designed the first "little black dress" (LBD) in the 1920's.
The LBD is a simple, elegant, timeless, and often short dress that is the essential staple in every woman's closet - so when starting or refreshing a new wardrobe...this is where you begin. It's important to remember that when you are choosing your LBD to keep it classic. It's meant to last you for a number of years, so avoid anything too particular, trendy, or seasonal that will appear dated by next year.
The simplicity of the LBD allows you to dress it up or down depending on the occasion. Heels or flats, a blazer, great sunglasses, and an over-sized bag make it chic for work. Yet the same dress accompanied with more ornate jewelry and accessories, an elegant shawl, an up-do or nice blow out, and a small clutch makes it perfect for any evening out. From students to celebs to First Ladies, the Little Black Dress is tried and true and here to stay...
Street Fashionista: Laura Burkitt | Location: Sydney, Australia | Dress: Dion Lee Slit Dress | Photo by: Phil Oh | Courtesy of Street Peeper
Sunglasses: Tom Ford sunglasses | Platform Sandals: Prada | Necklace: Tuleste Market necklace | Bag: Yves Saint Laurent bag | Photo by: Kelly Stuart | Courtesty of Elle
Location: Corso Venezia, Milano | Dress: Burberry | Photo courtesy of: Sartorialist
Location: Milan, Italy | Photo by: Tamu McPherson | Courtesy of: Refinery29
Location: London | Heels: Christian Louboutin | Bag: Zara | Photo & Blog: Vanessa Jackman
Monica Cruz
Noemi Watts
Victoria Beckham
Anne Hathaway
Gwyneth Paltrow
Famke Janssen
Carla Bruni
Michelle Obama
Is it me or are shorts considerably shorter this Season? This season first embraced lingerie as outerwear and now it seems like short shorts (boy shorts, hot pants, tap pants, daisy dukes) are trending in a big way. So my first question is..."How many people can actually pull this off?" .... and my second question is "How old is too old to wear short shorts?"
Answer #1 - How many people can actually pull this off?: Apparently not many because I see the supermodels rockin' the look on the runway and in magazines, but haven't seen that many out at The Grove on a Sunday pushing baby strollers. After all, unless you are an Uber Fashionista these things are difficult to pull off as "classy". You'll definitely get attention - but it might not be the kind you were looking for.
Answer #2 - How old is too old to wear short shorts?: Beachwear, working out gear, and maybe casual weekend gardening attire is one thing. But personally I feel that once you graduate college, you should un-tag all your Facebook party photos, get a job, and leave your hot pants and school girl plaid skirts behind in your dorm room.
But I do concede that for every rule, there are always exceptions - Giselle Bundchen for one. After all, I think that hot pants are as much "leg appropriate" as they are "age appropriate". So I have absolutely no problem with them at any age if you have the right legs, taste, accompanying job, accompany wardrobe, and appropriate booty to pull off hot pants as "sophisticated"....and as a general side note: if you're going to show a lot of skin below, it's best to look elegant on top. But for most of us over 22, I would suggest perfectly cut (right above the knee cap) city shorts for everyday and professional use.
In most cases for most of us over 22, I would suggest perfectly cut city shorts for everyday use.
Tiffani-Amber Thiessen working mom jeans and suspenders for Saved by the Bell.
Let’s face it we’ve all fallen victim to some God awful trend du jour at some point in our lives. I am not going to lie, I’ve had a few fashions DON’TS of my own over the years - a few that are even too embarrassing to even mention. Now don't get me wrong, I'm certainly not against trends. A few trendy pieces in your wardrobe here and there can be fun, playful and work beautifully when done properly.
That being said, I also feel that it is crucial to consider whether or not a trend actually works for your body shape before embracing it fully. The biggest mistake I see women making is trying to dress like someone they are not. In other words, you can't fit a square peg in a round hole (you can try, but the corners will inevitably stick out).
I’ll use myself as an example. My body type is a triangle (see the attached image to find out yours) and I am a shorty. You will never see me without my high heels. Taking this into consideration, I can’t exactly dress as if I were a 6ft supermodel without who weighs 110 lbs (a rectangle). Triangles have to be conscious about wearing things that cinch our waists, show off our curves...but don’t necessarily cling to them in all the wrong places. Long baggy dresses are not our friends. But a slightly above the knee, A-Line dress with a V neck works brilliantly for us because it elongates our bodies, hugs in all the right places and is forgiving in others.
Just the same way that I take into account the architecture of a home before decorating it, I would consider the architecture of a body before dressing it. Here's a useful guide below from Instyle to give you a better sense of what your body architecture is.
Read entire Instyle Article Here for tips on figuring out what your shape is and how to dress it in the most flattering way.
